With the giving season upon us we've been talking so much about how people have reacted that received a quilt from us. I'm as guilty as the next person about wanting to bask in a joyful and thankful response to one of my quilts, but I also know that isn't how everyone reacts to gifts, even to gifts they love. This is my proof;

My friend's birthday was today and this past month or so I've worked on a quilt for her. We live pretty far apart (different states) and I don't think she really knew I quilted and such. She hasn't been to my house in a little over a year (we go over there more because my husband has family there) and I've been quilting for just a year now. Anyways, she loves the Wizard of Oz and collects stuff from the movie. I made her a quilt with some of the Wizard of Oz fabrics that came out this summer (or spring, or whenever it was). I wasn't sure if she'd liked getting a quilt or not but I wasn't going to let my feelings be hurt if she didn't like it. I wanted to make it for her so I did.

I gave it to her last night and she reacted fine to it. She looked at it for a bit and said she really liked it. Showed it to her husband and he said he liked it. I was pretty sure she did in fact like it, but the reaction wasn't a super excited one. That was okay though.

This morning she text me and told me that words could not describe how much me giving her that quilt meant to her. She said it was the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for her and that she loved it so much. She thanked me again and told me how happy she was I was her friend. She text me again even later and sent a picture of herself riding in the car (passenger's seat) wrapped up in her quilt. :)

I can't tell you how much that message touched me. The quilt meant more to her than just any 'ole gift a friend could give. It probably isn't like her to react big to a gift but that didn't mean she didn't appreciate the gift. Best of all, I got to feel the deeper meaning of giving and that is better than any gift I could receive.

I
made a quilt just for the fun of using Kaffe Fassett prints. My MIL saw it while visiting recently. I debated on giving it to her for Christmas, but decided I couldn't bear the thought of it living in a closet. My MIL would not have used it since it wasn't her decorating colors. Then when she was waiting for me at a quilt shop during the holidays, I offered to make her quilt of her choice. She said she didn't know what she would do with it if she had it. I am so glad I kept my quilt!